Quiet anti-siphonic float actuated valve



Jan. 29, 1957 I .1. c. OWENS 2,779,350

QUIET ANTI-SIPHONIC FLOAT ACTUATED VALVE Filed April s, 195s 2 sheets-sheet 1 24 c sa 57 ./5555 c. awe/4.5' 1 BY -ifl Jan. 29, 1957 J/c: OWENS 2,779,350

QUIET ANTI-SIPHONIC FLOAT ACTUATED VALVE Filed April s, 195s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -74 73 1 INVENTOR,

Jessf c. @wfg/ 5 United States Patent f- IQUIET ANTI-SIPHNIC FLOATAACTUATED VALVE Jesse "C. Owensyllos Angeles,fCali. Application April 3,l 1953, Serial No. L346,598 fstciaims. (ci. la7-'21s) This invention .relates to iloat `actuated Avalves of lthe .into the service pipes, as when interruption of water pressure Within the latter resultsin the development ofpa partial vacuum therein.

Another objectl in 'this connection is to provide 1an anti-Siphonic construction in an automatic 'valve as described, which constitutes an improvement over those incorporated in more conventionally constructed valves, as well as thatforming the subject-matter of my co- 'pending application, 4Serial No. 232,125, tiled June f1.8,

1951, now` Patent No. 2,655,172, grantedOct 13, I195,3, because oi lits `being adapted to close oit communication between theanti-siphonictair vents and the waterpassages within the valvetwhenever the valve isropen andV operating `to rell the. storage tank, thus serving eilectually to "quiet the operation of the valve bypreventing interminglingfo'f -air with the watertlowing through the valve and fromthe valve into thestorage tank.

.Another objectof `thisinvention is toldesign andcon- Astruct the element which closes oil fthe anti-,siphonicmir vents while thetvalve .is open, asdescribedyin such a manner that when the valve is closed and flow of water `therethrough .is discontinued, it'not only ,moves :to a

:position wherein theanti-siphonic air vents `arel operated to ,assure maintenance of atmospheric pressure within kthe valve body and `thereby prevent `developmentiof the `,partial vacuum therein which .would -be requireddfor developmentof the siphoning action which `otherwise `might draw water back from the `storage tank into the fservicepipes, but it also establishes a positive, mechanical seal between the valves inlet port and `the hush-tube, or

other tube vwhereby water lis deliveredyfromthe valve bodyfdownward into the storage tank.

i -Avfurther object in this connectionis tto :design :and constructithe valve in such a manner that when the hereinabove referredito mechanical seal is establishedpa lsubstantial quantity of water is entrapped,'furtherassuring the `mechanical efficiency of the antifsiphoniose'al.

Another: objectof my present invention :is to `providegas `an additional, co-operative featureenchancing -theysound- "reducing characteristics of fthe presentrelling valve, ya ,partitionhof foraminated material, or `wire vmesh `screen, xt hroughwhich watertmust llow` during u its .passage through ther-Valve housingaso `as to break up `any, high velocity y. jetswor eddy\currents `which. `otherwise would-be aptto 1 cause ,the hissing. and` whistling noises which `are suchl an y ice objectional characteristic of more conventional toilet `storage tank zrefilling valves.

A furtherobject in this connection is to provide the foranainouspartition with means for imparting a whirling `motion tothe `water passing therethrough, thereby further reducing tendency for the water to hiss'and whistle during its owthroughrelatively restricted passages in the `valve and its delivery tube.

Yet `another object of the present invention is to provide means tor `providing and `maintaining a ,water-.seal closingoilthe secondary delivery tube, or .relill tube `so as `to prevent airlfrom being drawnback `into the housing ofthev-alve during periods of water-now therethrough.

,A `stillfurther object is to provide novel` and unusually efficient rneansfor actuating the plunger, or main `control lelement othe valve, in sucha manner that it moves relatively 4rapidly in proportion to the rate `of movement of its actuating lever, whileiseparated from its valve seat, but `ltmoves at a relatively slow rate `in proportion to thatof itsadtuating lever as it approaches its seat, with a corresponding increaselin mechanical advantage `assuring pressure df the valve against its seat so rmly that danger of leakage when the valve is in its closed positionV is minimized.

.Thefinvention,possesses,other objects and y.features of advantage,w someof which,with 'thet'oregoing will be set forth in `the following descriptiomof the Ipreferred form of myinvention which is illustrated in the, drawings alcc`ompanyinglandlforming part-of the specification. Itis tobeunderstoold that I do not limit myself to thexshowing made ,byfthe said drawings and description aslimayadopt variations of the preferred form within the `scope of my p inventionas setkforth inthe claims.

` Referring to the drawings:

Figure .l is `a View in side elevation'v of aba`l1.cock or :storage tank relling valve incorporating thelprinciples of `thepr'esent invention andindicating its manner of mounting iwithin a toilet 'flushing tank.l

Figure 2 is ,a vertical,medialsectiohalview Yof a storage tarkrellling valve incorporating `the principles of nthe present invention. The parts are shown in the respective positions assumed thereby when the valve is closedand lowof water-therethrough lis stopped.

`Figure lSais Ya viewvsimilar to Fig. 2, butshowing the partsizrthe respective positions assumed thereby `when the valve is open .and the water is owingthrough the valve to the storage tank.

Figure 4 `is yatop plan View of the screen silencing i partitiontconstituting one of the lnovel ,and important featuresiofthevalve of my present invention, but showing thelpartition while still` at and prior to its being pressed tou conical configuration. l

Figure is a slightly enlarged detail` view in, transverse verticaLsection, taken upon theplineS-S of Fig. `4 with the direction or" view as indicated.

`Figure 6 is a `detail View in horizontalsection, taken upon. the line 6`f6 of Fig. 2, with the direction of view asindicatetl,` and with a portion of `the figure ,broken avi/ ay` to reduce its` size.

`'the `vpreferred (embodiment. of the float Aactuated storage tank relling valve of the present invention which Ihas been,chosen for illustration and descriptionherein, tliereis `provided alhousing 11 comprising abase'orlbottorn portion 12 having a recess 13 i`n its upper surface, which ICCeSS is closed by av cap 14 rigidlybut removably ,secured to v'thev bottom `12 as by a plurality `of screws 16. Consequently, the bottomlZ and `capli` cooperate to define a `substantiallyclosed `chamber 1'? within the housina 11- Flow ofwater to the valve'housing is providedfor by .means .of an inlet tube I8, theupper end of whichds secured to the bottom 12 of the housing in communication with an inlet port 19 which leads through the bottom 12 and into the interior thereof, thus providing for the flow of water into the chamber 17. The supply tube 18 is provided, adjacent its lower end, with means 20, preferably conventional, for rigidly securing it to the bottom wall of a toilet storage tank through which the tube 18 extends, and also with means 23, also preferably conventional, for connecting the tube 18 to a service pipe adapted to provide water under pressure. 10

The port 19 leads from the upper end of the supply tube 18 through the bottom of the housing 12, as hereinabove mentioned, and preferably coaxially through an upstanding nipple 21 which extends for a substantial distance above the inner surface of the bottom wall of the 15 base portion 12 of the housing 11. Consequently, the nipple 21 disposes an annular valve seat 22 at substantial elevation above the bottom wall, and it also cooperates with the side wall of the base portion 12 in presenting an annular pocket 24 surrounding the base of the nipple 20 21. It is from this pocket 24 that the valves delivery tube 26 extends downward. This delivery tube is commonly called the hush tube inasmuch as it provides for the smooth and quiet flow of water from the valve to the interior of the storage tank within which the valve is 25 mounted.

A cylindrical guide-way 31 is formed in the cap 14 above and in coaxial alignment with the nipple 21 so that a plunger 32 reciprocably mounted within the guide-way 31 can, when moved downward, press a disc 33 of resilient, 30 sealing material against the valve seat 22 and thus close oi flow of Water from the supply tube 18 to the chamber 17 within the housing 11. Preferably, this plunger 32 is provided with one or more rings 34, or packing, to prevent leakage between the walls of the guide-way 31 and 35 the plunger 32.

The means for actuating the plunger 32 to force it into valve-closing position comprises a lever 36 to one end 37 of which the rod 38 of a ball oat 39 is rmly attached. This lever is pivotally mounted, as by means of 40 a transversely extending Cotter pin 40 between preferably r two upstanding pillars 41 rigid and preferably integral with the cap 14. The axis of this pivotal mounting is? within a plane perpendicular to the axis of reciprocation. of the plunger 32 and offset to one side thereof, for ex- 45 ample, to the right as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. A., recess 42 is formed in the under surface of the other end of the lever 36; and another, substantially coaxially aligned l recess 43 is provided in the upper end of the plunger 32..l These two recesses 42 and 43 accommodate the upper'i 50 and lower ends, respectively, of a pin 44, both thesewx ends of the pin 44 being preferably rounded so that they 'i seat within their respective sockets or recesses 42 and 43 in such a manner that they can pivot freely with respect i to the lever 36 and plunger 32 and thus permit the rock-v 55 ing motion of the pin 44 with respect to the plunger 3215v which is coincident with downward motion of the plunger 32 and pin 44 as induced by rotary motion of the lever 36 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. and 3, about the axis of the cotter pin 40. 60

The parts are so proportioned and arranged that the-1 axis of such rocking motion of the pin 44 with respect",y to the lever 36 is offset to the left, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, from the plane which includes the axis of such rocking. movement of the lower end of the pin 44 with respect to 65 the plunger 32, and such plane also includes the axis off pivotal motion of the lever 36 about the cotter pin 40y Moreover, the axis of rotary motion of the pin 44 with respect to the lever 36 is substantially at the midpoint between the axis of the cotter pin 4G and the axis of rotary 70 motion associated with the lower end of the pin. Consequently, as the plunger 32 approaches its lower extreme of motion, as induced by rotary motion of the lever 36 in counter-clockwise rotation about the axis of the cotter pin 40, the upper end of the pin 44 is, in addition to being 75 CFI pushed downward, drawn to the right, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, thus drawing the upper end of the pin 44 mo-re closely to the plane, hereinabove described, which includes the axis of rocking motion associated with the lower end of the pin and also the axis of the cotter pin 40. Consequently, as the plunger 32 approaches its valve-closing position, it moves more slowly and thereby develops a mechanical advantage, and causes the sealing disc 33 to be pressed against the valve seat 22 with considerably greater force in proportion to the force developed by the lever 36. On the other hand, when the plunger 32 is at a position more distant from its lower extreme of motion, the plunger moves at a rate considerably more rapid in proportion to the rate of movement of the lever 36, thus making for more complete opening of the valve disc 33 and greater freedom of iiow of water between it and the valve seat 22.

Preferably, the lever 36 is provided with an adjusting screw 51 threaded therethrough in position to engage the cap 14 and thereby limit the extent of rotary motion of the lever 36 in that direction which results in opening of the valve. In this manner the extent of opening of the valve can be limited in at least partial compensation for excessively high pressure of water within the supply or service pipe.

Within the housing 11i there is provided a partition 56 of resilient, iiexible material, preferably Neoprene rubber. This partition 56 is in the form of a washer or diaphragm having a central opening 57 through which the nipple 21 extends. This opening 57 is of such diameter that it tits closely and snugly against the preferably slightly tapered outer surface of the nipple 21 with sutiicient security to establish a dependable fluid-seal therewith. Moreover, the diaphragm 56 instead of being at, is preferably disc-shaped to provide a recess 58 in its concave upper surface, which recess 53 serves as a reservoir within which a substantial quantity of water is entrapped when the valve is closed and ow therethrough is stopped. This water serves to further enhance the efiiciency of the seal established between the inner circumference of the .partition 56 and the outer surface of the nipple 21. The partition 56 is clamped in position by having its outer peripheral edge engaged between the fiange 59 provided at the upper and outer portions of the base 12 of the housing, and the corresponding portions of the cap 14. Preferably an enlarged bead 61 is provided upon the outer peripheral edge of the partition 56 to aid in such clamping; and a eo-operative gasket 62 is seated within a complementarily shaped groove 63 in the under surface of the cap 14, which operates toward this same end.

There is also provided a silencer screen 66 extending across the housing just above the partition 56. This silencer screen 66 is similarly mounted, i. e., by having its outer peripheral edge gripped between the gasket 62 and the peripheral edge of the partition S6. Moreover, a central opening 67 is also provided in the screen 66 through which the nipple 21 extends in closely fitting relationship. Consequently, any water owing from the inlet port 19 and through the housing 11 to the discharge tube 26 must flow through the screen 66 during its passage through the housing. This tends to break up any jets and/ or eddies of high velocity which might otherwise tend to produce the objectionable hissing and whistling noises which characterize more conventionally constructed toilet tanks refilling valves.

The ability of this screen partition 66 to eliminate noise of the Water in flowing through the valve is enhanced by the presence of a plurality of openings 71. Each of these openings 71 is formed by a single radially extending cut or slit 72 (see Figs. 4 and 5) with the portion of the screen immediately adjacent and on one side of the slit deiiected downwards to present a hood 73 below the opening 71 thus formed and having a laterally extending aperture 74 at the end of the hood 73 which is defined -byrlthe cut"72. All `of these laterally directed 'openings -74l`face" in a common direction i about thecentral axis jef the valve housing; for example, as illustrated `in'Fg. 4, l"theyall openA in a clockwise direction.

Consequently, they develop a tendencyl to impart a whirling motion to `the-waterowing through the-sereen--`partition 66, enabling the water to iiow between-.therelatively restricted vspace between thel inner-circumferential redge of *the partitionL 66 and 'i the `outer-surface of vthe `nipple"21,- in accordance the-description to-f`ollow` hereinl below.

"An annular ridge lor bead -81 visprovided, upstanding ThebaseportionflZ of the `housing 11` isral'soprovided `,with an auxiliaryuor` secondary outlet 86 which inclines iupwardsand outwards Vfrom. ar-positionadjacent the bottom rot-the poeket-24. The outer-lportion of this outlet'2S6 `.ispreterably enlarged and provided with threads87 to per- This auxiliary outlet tu'he, inthe conventional "toilet installation, is called the rell tube inasmuch `as lit as- -sures that at least a` smallr quantity o-f water-willremain -irr the bottomof the toilet bowl aftertheush'ing operation has been completedfbymaintainingflowlthereto while the'StOrage tankfis` being relled. IAlradiallyJextending partitionfQl is` provided upon each sideoftheauxiliary outlet opening 86, extending across `the bottom of the pocket 24.l from ithe .base `of the vnipple 2L' to` the inner surface `of the side wall `ofwthe base portioni2. These partitions cooperateto Idefine a small reservoir-93 adapted lto entrap and retainia` sueient quantityof waterl to seal orti the inner Vend of the auxiliary outlet opening86-after the refilling operation oiwthe valvelhas ceased. Wereit fnot` forithe presence of these partitionsf911 de-ning the .reservoirv 93, `.all ywater entering fthe .annular pocket '24 would be drained off through the hush Atube-26 inasmuch as the hush tube leads from the very bottom of the pocketZi;l but -byretaining alsmallquantityof Water within the reservoiryr93 sealing iotf 'theinner end of the auxiliary discharge opening 86not,` only is anfeicient water sealkprovided forthe refill tube, but alsopthe tendency for, any'air tobeA drawn into .Water owingthrough themain valve during the tanks'relilling operation is prevented.

Operation When thelevel` ofthewaterwithin the tank drops, .the `,ball iioat 39 will ,be lowered, raising thelend of the' lever '36y and permitting. theplunger 32 tol be liftedso `as-to 4:withdraw the sealing `disc .33 from the valve `seat 22. `This will permitwater. under. pressure 'to'enter the chamlber17 above the foraminous screenwoo. `When thewater llowssthrough thescreen it has a` swirling motion im- 1parted thereto, `as ,hereinabove described, so asuto eliminate, or atule'ast `minimize. the4 tendencyfor therelativly high pressure water to develop objectionable noises. By being permitted to ow freely through the screen 66 the water develops sufficient hydrostatic pressure upon the upper 4surface of the impervious partition 56 to deflect its central, lower portion downward, substantially to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. Such downward motion of the central portion of the partition 56, sliding along the outer circumferential wall of the nipple 21, is accompanied by stretching and consequent enlargement of the partitions central opening 57, thereby presenting an annular space between the inner circumference of the partitionf and thevlouterewallalof* the\-1`1ip'p1efj21l fgWater 'under pressure 'is vthus permitted to Lflow past the partition s56 into the pocket -241 and thence to t the`=i`nterior lof-the istoragetankvlto which -the fihush tube 26L leads.

AlHowever, -as is alsoi-iindicate'dl infFig. t 3,.su`eh 'clownwardembtion `of` the! partition 56 causes it to tseatl-agaiiist fthe ,topi of 'the'llridge 181, t `closing off all communication between the pocket 24 andv the aperture through the antisiphonic air inlet vent 82. Thus it may betseenfthat as the" waterows throughlfthevalve-in its-tank-relling ope-ration, the water-isi keptfree of air 'bubbles which would otherwise develop Ather tendency toproducer bub- Iblinghandfgurgling noises -which` are an `objectionable `'characteristicof `moreconventionally `const`ri1etedtank reiilling'dioat valves. y

'Further-more, the water 'sealforlthe relltube 88'is` another -feature rwhich feo-operates with the'inter-engaging annular bead S1 and the under surface of the diaphragm 56, in preventing intake of air to the chamberlT-While Ihe-valve iswope'n andwwa'terlisf passing therethrough in ftheftank-'rei'illingloperation.

flHowe'ver, after-the tank has been lled tothe desired level, raising theballiloatil Vto its upper extreme-of movementptheend tot fthe' i lever 36 will be swung downwand pressingthe plunger 32 downwards tothe ldisc'SS 4.against the-:valvelseat `22,thereby closing offvthe flow .of @water from the in1ettube `is to the interior of 'the ,chambervll 'fThisyoflcoursaWill causeA aow lof Water thnough` thaw-annular rspace between the inner peripheral edgenofatheldiaphragm56 andthe nipple I21 to cease. .The inherent contractile t resiliency `of the materialjof (which thefdiaphragm- 56is`rco`mposed will then be enabled .tovcause fthe] stretched diaphragmv' t to contract, raising its. inner. peripheral edge STuntill -it i againmakese sealing contact with.the nipplefzl and thereby effectually preventing'rriiow ofi air Yupward'past `the diaphragm 56;to reach` the'fupper end of the-nipple 21. As'hereinabove explained, the efficacy of `this seal between `the Vdiaphragm 'rand Sthebnipple V211 is enhanced-byH-the entrapment of .asubstantiall-quantity :of water above this -diaphragm-56 and? in `contact with the portion ofthe ynipple'Zl` which is above the diaphragm. This water-will be entrapped because of the fact that the `diaphragm 56 will rise and contract .as-the pressure of'the waterfthereabove diminishes and thereby'V establish the seal between itself and the nipple beforerall .of the `water which previously has passed @the valve seat 22 has had opportunity to` flow down throughfthe central opening ot` the diaphragm.

This positive mechanical sealbetween the diaphragm andthe Anipple would be effective in preventing the lflow of any `water fromthe hushV tube 26 back intothe service `pipe'23 in theevent that a-partial vacuum should develop in the latter, even `were the valve of the present invention vnot provided with vefficient'anti-siphonic means-preventing water from being `drawn upwards in the hush tube `26. `It,ftherefore,r constitutes `an added safety feature `preventing contamination` of water within the. servieepipes in .the eventy of` failure of `pressure therein. But the principal rfeature; of this present. valve in preventing such contamination of water within `the service pipes isthe establishment of communication between the bowl 24 into which. the upper end of,Y thehush `tube 26 leads, and the atmosphere through .the several -air inlet vents. `This communication isrlestablished `across Tthe top ofthe annular bead 81 when the diaphragm 56 rises to its position illustrated in Fig. 2, as hereinabove described. When water ceases to flow downward past the diaphragm 56 to the bowl 24, all of the water within the bowl 24 except that entrapped Within the reservoir 93 between the two radial partitions 91 will Idrain off through the hush tube 26 into the storage tank, thus maintaining a water seal for the inner end of the rell tube while the valve is actually operating to refill the storage tank; and of course even were the reservoir 93 completely empty at the beginning of the refilling operation, flow of water through the valve at the beginning of the refilling operation will yinstantly lill the reservoir and thus prevent flow of air .into the housing and thereby co-operative with the bead 81 in preventnig any bubbles of air forming within the water being delivered through the hush tube 26 to the storage tank. The reservoir 93 is, therefore, an important detail in maintaining the quietness of operation of the present valve which is one of its principal advantageous characteristics.

Toward this same end, the foraminous screen or partition 66 prevents the whistling and hissing noises which otherwise would be apt to develop as the result of the vpassage of water at high pressure and velocity through the valve structure, particularly because of the presence of the several openings 71 and their respectively associ ated hoods 73, which impart a whirling motion to the water above the diaphragm 56 owing through the open- `ing 57.

I claim:

1. A storage tank supply valve comprising a housing defining a substantially closed chamber and having an inlet port opening upwards through the bottom of said housing, a tubular nipple encircling said port and extending upwards within said chamber to a position above the bottom of said chamber, a valve seat on the upper end of said nipple, a plunger mounted in said housing for reciprocatory movement toward and away from said valve seat, means for moving said plunger, said housing having an outlet leading from said chamber below said valve seat, and a foraminous screen extending across said chamber and having an aperture therein through which said nipple extends, whereby any liquid passing through said chamber from said inlet port must pass through said screen before reaching said outlet, said screen having a plurality of radial cuts therein and the portion of said screen immediately adjacent each of said cuts and on one side thereof being deflected from the plane of said screen to define a hood opening in a direction perpendicular to the associated cut, all of said hood openings facing in a common direction about the central axis of said nipple whereby a whirling motion is imparted to said water after it ows through said screen.

2. A storage tank supply valve comprising a housing defining a substantially closed chamber and having an inlet port opening upwards through the bottom of said housing, a tubular nipple encircling said port and extending upwards within said chamber to a position above the bottom of said chamber, a valve seat on the upper end of said nipple, a plunger mounted in said housing for reciprocatory movement toward and away from said valve seat, means for moving said plunger, said housing having an outlet leading from said chamber below said valve seat, a foraminous screen extending across said chamber and having an aperture therein through which said nipple extends, whereby any liquid passing through said chamber from said inlet port must pass through said screen before reaching said outlet, said screen having a plurality of radial cuts therein and the portion of said screen immediately adjacent each of said cuts and on one side thereof being deflected from the plane of said screen to define a hood opening in a direction perpendicular to the associated cut, all of said hood openings facing in a common direction about the central axis of said nipple whereby a whirling motion is imparted to said water after it flows through said screen, and a check valve interposed between said inlet port and said outlet in co-operative association with said nipple to permit ow from said port to said outlet but to check flow from said outlet to said port.

3. A storage tank supply valve comprising a housing defining a substantially closed chamber and having an inlet port opening upwards through the bottom of said housing, a tubular nipple encircling said port and extending upwards Within said chamber to a position above the bottom of said chamber, a valve seat on the upper end of said nipple, a plunger mounted in said housing for reciprocatory movement toward and away from said` valve seat, means for moving said plunger, said housing having an outlet leading from said chamber below said valve seat, a foraminous screen extending across said chamber and having an aperture therein through which said nipple extends, whereby any liquid passing through said chamber from said inlet port must pass through said screen before reaching said outlet, said screen having a plurality of radial cuts therein and the portion of said screen immediately adjacent each of said cuts and on one side thereof being deflected from the plane of said screen to deline a hood opening in a direction perpendicular to the associated cut, all of said hood openings facing in a common direction about the central axis of said nipple whereby a whirling motion is imparted to said water after it flows through said screen, and a check valve comprising a resiliently exible diaphragm of impervious material sealed to said housing throughout its outer periphery and extending radially inwards therefrom to a central opening through which said nipple extends, said diaphragm normally establishing sealing engagement with said nipple to check ow upwards along the exterior of said nipple, but being adapted to be flexed downward in response to fluid pressure against its upper surface and simultaneously stretched to enlarge said central opening and thereby permit ow from above said diaphragm to said outlet, said housing having an air vent establishing communication between the atmosphere and said chamber above said outlet and below said diaphragm, and means sealing off the portion of said chamber with which said vent communicates from the portion of said chamber from which said outlet leads when said diaphragm is flexed in response to fluid pressure against its upper surface.

l References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 483,172 Schrader Sept. 27, 1892 910,874 Sinclair Jan. 26, 1909 1,144,040 Keller June 22, 1915 2,017,799 Helfrich oct. 15, 1935 2,032,064 Meng Feb. 25, 1936 2,065,161 Thompson Dec. 22, 1936 2,155,520 Woltt- Apr. 25, 1939 2,167,938 Clemmons Aug. l, 1939 2,317,923 Lebo Apr. 27, 1943 2,318,236 Layton May 4, 1943 2,329,337 Criss Sept. 14, 1943 2,395,906 Owens Mar. 5, 1946 2,491,131 Owens Dec. 13, 1953 2,629,393 Langdon Feb. 24, 1953 2,667,177 Smith Jan. 26, 1951 

